Carl Hiaasen's Lucky You, and Sacred Falls Update.

September 19, 2013

Dear Readers,

         I was enjoying a really strong cup of coffee this morning, while watching the stock market, listening to the pundits make judgment calls in a confident and authoritative manner, and it occurred to me I haven’t done a book review in quite awhile.

        Granted, I’ve been distracted and pulled in many different directions. But I still take time everyday to read someone else’s work. So here is the review I wrote this morning. I’ve also included a comment on an archived blog post. It gives us an update on one of the many terrific horses I have reviewed over the last few months.

          I’d enjoyed Carl Hiaasen’s Bad Monkey so much, I thought why not go to the library and see if they have some of the first books he published on their shelves. While Lucky You is not one of his first, more to the middle, it was available at the Pleasanton Library and I checked it out. That was over two weeks ago. I picked up Ever After by Kim Harrison on the same day and I finished it in two. But Lucky You? I just finished slogging through it last night. It pains me to convey how pedestrian this book was for me.

When I held the book in my hand in front of the rows of stacks at the library, I wanted to like it, and the pitch line hooked me; “Grange, Florida, is famous for its miracles--the weeping fiberglass Madonna, the Road-Stain Jesus, the stigmata man. And now it has JoLayne Lucks, unlikely winner of the state lottery.”

While Hiaasen’s talent is undeniable, and evident even in this ridiculously mediocre, bordering on bad book. I cringed so many times while forcing myself to get through it; I had to wonder why I did? My answer—I think I remained hopeful throughout each tedious page that it would get better, that the same Carl who had written Bad Monkey would pull it out. But I was disappointed right through to the very end.

It reads more like a Monty Python script, stereotypical zombiesque characters, parading around as white supremacists, religious fanatics and charlatans.

The passages meant to make me laugh—didn’t, and almost without exception went one step beyond the pale and into Three Stooges type of pratfalls and stupidity, only this was creepy.

I still love Carl’s style of writing, and I will continue to buy and read his books. I’m just thankful I didn’t make Lucky You my first venture into the Carl Hiaasen house of fun, because I probably wouldn’t have picked up another book written by him if I had.  

Now onto the update on the post Sacred Falls Bests Pierro in the BMW Doncaster Mile published on July 8^th. I received a nice update from Raffles Racing about Sacred Falls and among other things they wrote:

After his six wins in New Zealand, we decided to send him to race in Australia. He had 4 starts in Australia and only won his final goal which was the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile. He also ran second in the Gr.1 Randwick Guineas.
Sorry to inform you that he is not going for the Breeders Cup because he will be racing in Australia for the Spring Carnival. 

Photo New Zealand News

While I can understand their reasoning, I’m still disappointed he won't be in California in November. I will enjoy following this horse as he continues to race in Australia, and I will be hopeful that he continues his winning ways, this is a very nice horse.  Who knows, maybe someday I'll get to see him in person.

Next up, Chapter Seven, are you ready? 

Take care,

Shelley Riley

Author of Casual Lies – A Triple Crown Adventure

see at www.shelleyriley.com